Tiva Robben Island

Ndzhawu ya vaaki

©David Fleminger
Namuntlha, ndzhawu ya vaaki i kaya eka 150 wa vaaka ndzhawu. Lava va katsa vatirhi vale museum, varhangeri va khotso, vatirhi va National Ports Authority, vahlayisi va lighthouse, vatirhi va ndzawulo ya vatirhi xikanwe na varhandzi va ndzhawu leyi kusuka khale. I ndzhawu yintsongo ya vaaki kambe ya naveta swinene. Vana va famba famba vatshunxekile kusuka ekaya ka vona kuya eka tinwana tiyindlu, tivanti ta siyiwa tinga khiyiwangi, nkarhi wunonokisa swilo. Onge hile tikweni ra Canada. Ndzhawu leyi ya vaaki yina kwalomu ka 100 wa tiyindlu, letinga longoloka eka matlhelo yambirhi ya patu. Kaya rinwana na rinwana xirhapa lexi xinga rimiwaka xikanwe na diromu ro kangatela mati yampfula. Kuna kwalomu ka 40 wa vanhu lava vatshamaka kona, leswi endlaka leswaku ndzhawu leyi yi chavisa nyana.
Mulanguteri wa poso Charlé, undzi byele leswaku u amukela kwalomu ka 2000 wa mapapila hinhweti naswona poso leyi yale xihlaleni lexiya yi amukele masagwadi yakuva yitirha kahle swinene. Kereke leyi yo leha nyana ya Anglican Church, leyi sweswi yinga ya Dutch Reformed, yaha tirha tani hikereke laha yingheniwaka kambirhi hi nhweti. Vhengele ra ndzhawu leyi rivitaniwa Ledewinkel kombe vhengele ra vaaki. Laha hi laha vaaki vakumaka kona swinwana na swinwana leswi valavaka ku swixava kasi vana va pandzisa nhloko ya muxavisi hikuva vatshama varikarhi valava swiwitsi. Xitupu lexikulu xa vhengele xitirhisiwa tani hi ndzhawu yo hlanganela eka yona, laha kuvekiwaka matafula yambirhi leswaku vanhu vata dya mabulu vatshame eka wona. Kusuhi na vhengele leri kuna rivala ro tlangela eka rona nandzhawu yo tlangela ntlangu lowu ma Afrika Dzonga vange i Putt-Putt. Leswi aswi endleriwe leswaku valanguteri va Khotso vata hungasa hiswona naswona swahari eka xiyimo xa kahle.

Miako leyi fanaka

©David Fleminger
Kuna ndzhawu yikulu yohlambela endzhaku ka khumbi lerikulu, laha hi laha vana vatlangelaka kona nanhlekani vakarhi va orhela masana loko va huma e matini xikanwe no sukumetelana e matini. Ndzhawu leyi yitlhela yiva na rivala ra ntlangu wa rugby na ra cricket leswinga endliwa hi ma British kusukela ekusunguleni.
Xihlala lexi xina xikolo xa tindzumulo na xikolo xalehansi lexingana vana va 23 na vadyondzisi vambirhi. Akuna xikolo xale henhla, leswivulaka leswaku vana lavakulu vafanele ku rhurhela e Cape Town kumbe vakhandziya xikepe xa siku na siku xa vatirhi. Leswi swinga nonoha swinene, kambe kuna xitori xinwe xa nwana waka ntangha khume loyi anga tsandzeka kuya tsala xikambelo xohetelela hikuva lwandle ari kwatile siku rero. Hitwa leswaku, masocha va humesile xihaha mpfhuka phatsa xiya nwi teka!
Hile dzongeni wa ndzhawu leyi, laha kunga langutana na tlhelo rale Bloubergstrand, hilaha ku tshamaka Governor na yindlu leyi lulamisiweke hi kereke. Miako leyi ya xikhale yisukela eka minkarhi liya yava Victorian, naswona sweswi yitirhisiwa tani hi conference centre xikan’we na ndzhawu yo amukela vuyeni (laha kuyaka vuyeni lebyinga rhambiwa ntsena).

Kuvonakala ko hlamarisa

©Roger de la Harpe
Loko u hundze ndzhawu ya vaaki, patu rivoyamela exineneni laha rifambaka hile dzongeni wa xihlala kuya eribuweni ra lwandle. Leswi kunga sasekisa xiswona swa hlamarisa. Loko u languta hile ntsungeni uvona Table Mountain, Devil’s Peak na Lion’s Head laha tintshava leti tinga yima kahle hile mpfhukeni naswona tisasekisa leswi uswivonaka kusuka exihlaleni. Loko mirikarhi mifamba, loyi ami rhangeleke uta mikombeta Van Riebeeck’s old quarry, tindzhawu ta matlhari ya WW2, Laha aku tshama masocha kunga mbindzimuxiwa, laha aku languteriwa kona hinkarhi wa nyimpi ya WW2 xikanwe na xikepe lexi fayekeke (the Fong Chung No. 11, lexi axi famba hiva 1975). Xobiha xakona hileswaku bazi rifika rijika xikhandziya xiganga xa Minto Hill, kuya e lighthouse.
Mhala yinga vonaka yiri ekudyeni ka mabyasi lawa yo leha swinene ehansi ka xitshabyani laha kusungulaka misinya ya mibiligomu. Ehansi ka xintshabyani lexi hilaha kungana lighthouse. Yi akiwile hi lembe ra 1865, yina kwalomu ka 24 wati sea miles na rivoni ra 1.5 kW. Leri i rivoni leri layitaka ritlhela ritima laha rivoningaka kuringana 5 wa tisekoni kutani ritlhela riswiendla kambe endzhaku ka 7 wa tisekoni tinwana na tinwana. Lawa kova maendlelo yantshwa lawa yakombetaka ndzilo lawa aya tirhisiwa hi ma Dutch kuvoninga eka ndzhawu yoleyo, kutlula 300 wa malembe lawa ya hundzeke. Xitichi xa radar, De Wall gun battery na ndzhawu yo hlantswa mati, leyi phakelaka xihlala lexi hi mati yotenga, hinkwaswo leswi swile kusuhi na lighthouse. Bazi riya emahlweni ri hundza xintshabyani kuya laha akulave ku endliwa golf course kutlhelela endzhawini ya vaaki. Ehenhla ka doroba, laha kuvonakaka kusuka e patwini, hilaha kungana masirha ya vatirhi na madokodela lava ava tirha eka General Infirmary. Loko se uvuyerile eka ndzhawu leyi ya vaaki, bazi rijikela eximatsini ritlhelela e khotsweni.

Translated by Ike Ngobeni